A Department of Energy grant is allowing the City to do something unusual these days. It?s allowing the City to keep some streetlights lit; both now and for a decade into the future.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, is financing a pilot project to replace traditional City-managed, metered,streetlights with low-energy LED streetlights. The City is currently testing both cobrahead and globe (also called acorn) styles. Those interested can visit the following test locations to view samples:

·Centennial and Garden of the Gods (Cobrahead style manufactured by Lighting Science Group)

Though the LED streetlights have vastly higher initial cost, in this case the grant will pay for both the lights and installation. Once in place, the LED streetlights are anticipated to use approximately half the energy of traditional streetlights, create whiter light with greater ability to distinguish colors at night, and last 10 to 15 years? as compared to 2 to 3 years for traditional lighting.

The City plans to begin installing the LED street lights this fall once it makes a final style determination based on price, visual performance and aesthetics.

A previous retrofit from traditional traffic signals to LED traffic signals decreased energy use by 84% and costs by 74% (largely due to decrease staff time spent replacing bulbs). One reason this project was selected was for its ability to reduce on-going general fund expenses.